Gold prices have been struggling over the past coupe of months as equities have picked up steam and set their sights on historic highs. As such, many investors have moved out of gold and into equities, looking to cash in on the currently bull market. This trend can be easily demonstrated by the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), which holds physical gold bullion. The fund has lost more than $4.7 billion in assets in 2013, though it still remains the second largest ETF in the world [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

The introduction of the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) in 2004 forever changed the world of gold investing. The physically-backed ETF cracked the precious metals world wide open, as it now became possible for the average Joe to add gold exposure to their basket of holdings. Since debuting, GLD has amassed nearly $75 billion in total assets and is by far the most popular commodity ETF in the world. But for all of the attention this juggernaut attracts, investors often forget to look for alternative ways to gain the same exposure, especially given the controversy surrounding this product [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Gold is one of the rarest metals in the world, and has a long history as a valuable and intensely sought-after element. The precious metal has served as the basis for physical currency for thousands of years, and many monetary systems throughout human history have utilized a gold standard that focused on the precious metal. Exploration and production of gold has become a major industry in regions that maintain significant deposits of the metal, and quests for gold have been the impetus of countless expeditions and discoveries [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Get your foil hats and stock your bunker, the conspiracy theorists scored a recent victory when it comes to gold. For quite some time now, many have speculated that the amount of gold the U.S. claims to hold is a sham. It is already very likely that gold prices were manipulated alongside LIBOR, but recent news has only added fuel to the fire. Last week, a counterfeit gold bar was discovered in the U.S., as a 10 ounce gold bar sold in Manhattan was shown to be nothing more than tungsten, essentially erasing a near $18,000 purchase. Shortly thereafter, 10 more counterfeit bars were discovered [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Gold is not only one of the most popular commodities in the world, but it is also one of the most widely traded financial instruments. Traders and investors utilize gold for its safe haven behaviors, its speculative power, and its high liquidity given its popularity. Some use futures contracts for gold exposure, while others prefer stocks. But recent years have seen exchange traded funds (ETFs) fall into the mix. These highly liquid and transparent assets have democratized gold investing so that even the smallest of investors can still maintain a healthy exposure to the precious metal. Below, we outline five facts about gold ETFs to help you get a better understanding of these products [see also Were Gold and Silver Manipulated Alongside LIBOR?].

This year saw a surge in popularity for commodity investing. As the years have passed, investors have seen the benefits of investing in the risky, but lucrative asset class. Commodities provide a protection against inflation as well as a low correlation to equities. One of the biggest problems within the industry was the lack of options available to investors just a few years ago. It used to be that only those with a complex futures account were able to add these securities to their portfolios. Now, there are hundreds of products to help even the smallest investor gain access to their favorite commodity investment. Below, we outline all of the commodity exchange traded products that hit the market this year [see also 12 High-Yielding Commodities For 2012].

Gold is one of the rarest metals in the world, and has a long history as a valuable and intensely sought-after element. Gold has served as the basis for physical currency for thousands of years, and many monetary systems throughout human history have utilized a gold standard that focused on the precious metal. Exploration and production of gold has become a major industry in regions that maintain significant deposits of the metal, and quests for gold have been the impetus of countless expeditions and discoveries. The price of the metal is widely followed by many investors, both sophisticated and simplistic. There are a number of different options for investing in gold, including buying up coins and bars of the product, exchange-traded futures contracts, stocks of companies engaged in the extraction and sale of the metal, and both physically-backed and futures-based exchange-traded products [see also The Guide To The Biggest Companies … See the full story here →